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Federalist 46 is a good read. James Madison was defending the idea of a federal standing army, and clearly defends the right of individual possession of firearms suited for battle. He says, "Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of."

The gist of that, to me, is the existence of state governments forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, sure, but never forget Americans have the advantage of being armed. Don't mess with their rights.

More revealing to me, though, was something I learned long after high school and college civics classes. Never once in formal government classes did I hear mention of the Antifederalists, the people Madison was addressing.

I don't know enough about this. I should study up. My impression is the Federalists didn't fear a strong central government with a standing army because the real power always came from individuals, and that the citizenry was an absolute check against tyranny.

The Federalists opposed the Bill of Rights as unnecessary. To them, those rights were so natural they didn't need to be listed.

Besides, Americans possess the almost unique right to arms. It's not like we're a Soviet puppet or Australia or almost anywhere else.